“One of the best characteristics a director can have is the ability to compromise wisely. If you don’t want to compromise you can go off and make your own movie, but unfortunately you may have to use your own money….Before I start shooting, I go through my script and block out scenes I’m willing to compromise on and those I won’t. It usually breaks down like this: Twenty-five percent of the arguments don’t matter, so I let the studio win. Fifty percent of the arguments can go either way: some I win, some they win. However, the last 25 percent I have to win at all cost or I won’t be able to make my movie. My advice is win that 25 percent or quit.”
Producer/writer/director Garry Marshall

“Choose your cinematographer wisely. Don’t hire the one with the longest credits. Don’t take the most impressive education. Work with the one you get along with best. A director’s alliance with a cinematographer is one of the most crucial on a film. You can dream all the clever shots and tricky angles, but unless you can communicate your vision to the cinematographer, it’s not going to get on film. If you hire a cinematographer who differs somehow from you philosophically then the crew will sometimes split: Half the crew will listen to you and the other half, particularly the camera operator, will listen to the cinematographer.”
Garry Marshall

“I now become cranky when I can’t get my special people on a movie. Whether it is Dante, Albert, my favorite assistant director Ellen Schwartz, or my favorite second assistant director Bettiann Fishman, working with friendly faces makes me feel more comfortable and cuts down on time it takes to get to know someone new. It’s exciting to work with new people, but usually takes much longer to find your way.”
Garry Marshall

Garry Marshall talks about problems he had with the crew on the first feature he ever directed and basically echoes what director Steven Spielberg said about the crew on the first TV show he directed. It’s not uncommon for seasoned veteran crew members, sometimes with many decades of experience, to wonder who let the newbie director take the reins. Even a small video shoot can get pretty hierarchical. I’ve seen, heard, and experienced plenty of situations on shoots where a lot of sizing up is going on. It goes with the territory—from small students shoots to big Hollywood features. I’ve often said one of the most practical (and remembered) things I learned in film school was a teacher who told us, “Everyone on the crew thinks they can direct better than you.”

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100 percent of the screenwriters who now have agents at one time didn’t have an agent. 100 percent of screenwriters who are now working at one time weren’t working. 100 percent of the screenwriters who have made money at screenwriting at one time time didn’t made a dime.” Michael Hauge Writing Screenplays that Sells page […]